The Question of Authenticity

 Reading The Loss of the Creature by Walker Percy made me question if anything one experiences when they travel is truly genuine. He emphasizes that preconceived notions distort ones idea of a destination before they even leave. There's a symbolic complex to destinations and vacations. The example of the Grand Canyon reminded me of the times I have travelled to Arizona. Even though I've been to Arizona multiple times, I've never seen the Grand Canyon. I would like to see it one day, "it's something you have to see before you die." I've seen pictures of it before, but can you imagine if you accidentally stumbled upon the Grand Canyon rather than planning a trip around it? I think the only way one can experience an "authentic" experience is if the experience isn't planned. 

My grandmother is well travelled. She's also talks to everyone she possible can, which is a comically dangerous combination. She makes me want to write a book about the experiences she's had. While I was considering the authenticity of traveling in the contemporary age, I thought about one of my grandmother's experiences. She has turned into a snow bird, living in Washington State during the Spring and Summer and quickly flocking to the warmer weather down south as soon as it starts to get cold. She splits her time between Tuscan, Arizona and Manzanillo, Mexico. In Manzanillo she met a man who cleans the condo she lives in. Over the last couple of years they have become quite close. He hosts her birthday party in January in his one-roomed home with dirt floors. His wife bakes her a cake and they sing to her in Spanish. Feliz cumpleaños! 

Even though I am still unsure, I would argue that her experiences in Mexico are more "authentic" in their nature. They're unplanned. She had no symbolic complex about her adopted Mexican family. She had no idea the impact they would have on her life. She doesn't need anyone to certify her experiences, she merely enjoys her time with them.